2021 Edition

Background

What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 30 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period was marred by political instability. Protests in Quito contributed to the mid-term ouster of three of Ecuador's last four democratically elected presidents. In late 2008, voters approved a new constitution, Ecuador's 20th since gaining independence. General elections were held in April 2021, and voters elected Guillermo LASSO president, who took office on 24 May 2021.

Area

land

276,841 sq km

note

note: includes Galapagos Islands

total

283,561 sq km

water

6,720 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Nevada

Climate

tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Coastline

2,237 km

Elevation

highest point

Chimborazo 6,267

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

1,117 m

note

note: because the earth is not a perfect sphere and has an equatorial bulge, the highest point on the planet farthest from its center is Mount Chimborazo not Mount Everest, which is merely the highest peak above sea level

Geographic coordinates

2 00 S, 77 30 W

Geography - note

note 1: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in worldnote 2: genetic research indicates that the cherry-sized tomato originated in Ecuador without any human domestication; later domestication in Mexico transformed the plant into the large modern tomato; archeological research indicates that the cacao tree, whose seeds are used to make chocolate and which was long thought to have originated in Mesoamerica, was first domesticated in the upper Amazon region of northwest South America - present-day Ecuador - about 3,300 B.C.

Irrigated land

15,000 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Colombia 708 km, Peru 1529 km

total

2,237 km

Land use

agricultural land

29.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 4.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 5.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 19.4% (2018 est.)

forest

38.9% (2018 est.)

other

31.4% (2018 est.)

Location

Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km)

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

note

note: Ecuador has declared its right to extend its continental shelf to 350 nm measured from the baselines of the Galapagos Archipelago

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

frequent earthquakes; landslides; volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughtsvolcanism: volcanic activity concentrated along the Andes Mountains; Sangay (5,230 m), which erupted in 2010, is mainland Ecuador's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes in the Andes include Antisana, Cayambe, Chacana, Cotopaxi, Guagua Pichincha, Reventador, Sumaco, and Tungurahua; Fernandina (1,476 m), a shield volcano that last erupted in 2009, is the most active of the many Galapagos volcanoes; other historically active Galapagos volcanoes include Wolf, Sierra Negra, Cerro Azul, Pinta, Marchena, and Santiago

Natural resources

petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Population distribution

nearly half of the population is concentrated in the interior in the Andean intermontane basins and valleys, with large concentrations also found along the western coastal strip; the rainforests of the east remain sparsely populated

Terrain

coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Age structure

0-14 years

25.82% (male 2,226,240/female 2,138,219)

15-24 years

17.8% (male 1,531,545/female 1,478,222)

25-54 years

40.31% (male 3,333,650/female 3,480,262)

55-64 years

7.92% (male 647,718/female 691,759)

65 years and over

8.15% (male 648,761/female 728,491) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

16.71 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

5.2% (2018/19)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

80.1% (2007/12)

Current Health Expenditure

8.1% (2018)

Death rate

5.15 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Ecuador's high poverty and income inequality most affect indigenous, mixed race, and rural populations. The government has increased its social spending to ameliorate these problems, but critics question the efficiency and implementation of its national development plan. Nevertheless, the conditional cash transfer program, which requires participants' children to attend school and have medical check-ups, has helped improve educational attainment and healthcare among poor children. Ecuador is stalled at above replacement level fertility and the population most likely will keep growing rather than stabilize.An estimated 2 to 3 million Ecuadorians live abroad, but increased unemployment in key receiving countries - Spain, the United States, and Italy - is slowing emigration and increasing the likelihood of returnees to Ecuador. The first large-scale emigration of Ecuadorians occurred between 1980 and 2000, when an economic crisis drove Ecuadorians from southern provinces to New York City, where they had trade contacts. A second, nationwide wave of emigration in the late 1990s was caused by another economic downturn, political instability, and a currency crisis. Spain was the logical destination because of its shared language and the wide availability of low-skilled, informal jobs at a time when increased border surveillance made illegal migration to the US difficult. Ecuador has a small but growing immigrant population and is Latin America's top recipient of refugees; 98% are neighboring Colombians fleeing violence in their country.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

11.7

potential support ratio

8.6 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

53.8

youth dependency ratio

42.1

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 83.5% of population

improved: total

total: 94% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 16.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 6% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

4.1% of GDP (2020)

Ethnic groups

Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and White) 71.9%, Montubio 7.4%, Amerindian 7%, White 6.1%, Afroecuadorian 4.3%, Mulatto 1.9%, Black 1%, other 0.4% (2010 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.3% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

45,000 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.4 beds/1,000 population (2016)

Infant mortality rate

female

14.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

22.18 deaths/1,000 live births

total

18.55 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

Spanish (Castilian) 93% (official), Quechua 4.1%, other indigenous 0.7%, foreign 2.2%; note - (Quechua and Shuar are official languages of intercultural relations; other indigenous languages are in official use by indigenous peoples in the areas they inhabit) (2010 est.)

major-language sample(s)

La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.87 years (2021 est.)

male

74.8 years

total population

77.76 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

92.5% (2020)

male

94.8%

total population

93.6%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria

Major urban areas - population

3.043 million Guayaquil, 1.901 million QUITO (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

59 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

29.6 years (2020 est.)

male

28 years

total

28.8 years

Nationality

adjective

Ecuadorian

noun

Ecuadorian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

19.9% (2016)

Physicians density

2.04 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Population

17,093,159 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

nearly half of the population is concentrated in the interior in the Andean intermontane basins and valleys, with large concentrations also found along the western coastal strip; the rainforests of the east remain sparsely populated

Population growth rate

1.16% (2021 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 74%, Evangelical 10.4%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 6.4% (includes Church of Jesus Christ, Buddhist, Jewish, Spiritualist, Muslim, Hindu, indigenous, African American, Pentecostal), atheist 7.9%, agnostic 0.1% (2012 est.)

note

note: data represent persons at least 16 years of age from five Ecuadoran cities

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 91.9% of population

improved: total

total: 97.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 8.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 2.1% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

15 years (2019)

male

14 years

total

15 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.96 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.89 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.07 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

15.4% (2020 est.)

male

8.7%

total

11.1%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.62% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

64.4% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

24 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Santa Elena, Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Capital

etymology

named after the Quitus, a Pre-Columbian indigenous people credited with founding the city

geographic coordinates

0 13 S, 78 30 W

name

Quito

time difference

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

time zone note

Ecuador has two time zones, including the Galapagos Islands (UTC-6)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

3 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic through a referendum, by public petition of at least 1% of registered voters, or by agreement of at least one-third membership of the National Assembly; passage requires two separate readings a year apart and approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, and approval by absolute majority in a referendum; amendments such as changes to the structure of the state, constraints on personal rights and guarantees, or constitutional amendment procedures are not allowed; amended 2011, 2015, 2018

history

many previous; latest approved 20 October 2008

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Ecuador

conventional short form

Ecuador

etymology

the country's position on the globe, straddling the Equator, accounts for its Spanish name

local long form

Republica del Ecuador

local short form

Ecuador

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Michael J. FITZPATRICK (since 3 July 2019)

consulate(s) general

Guayaquil

email address and website

ACSQuito@state.govhttps://ec.usembassy.gov/

embassy

E12-170 Avenida Avigiras y Avenida Eloy Alfaro, Quito

mailing address

3420 Quito Place, Washington DC  20521-3420

telephone

[593] (2) 398-5000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Ivonne Leila Juez De A-BAKI (since 6 February 2020)

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New Haven (CT), New Orleans, New York, Newark (NJ), Phoenix, San Francisco

email address and website

embassy@ecuador.orghttp://www.ecuador.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 333-2893

telephone

[1] (202) 234-7200

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President Guillermo LASSO Mendoza (since 24 May 2021); Vice President Alfredo Enrique BORRERO Vega (since 24 May 2021); the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

2021: Guillermo LASSO Mendoza elected president; first round election results: percent of vote - Andres ARAUZ (UNES) 32.72%, Guillermo LASSO Mendoza (CREO) 19.74%, Yaku PEREZ Guartambel (MUPP) 19.38%, Xavier HERVAS Mora (Independent) 15.68%, other 12.48%; second round election results: percent of vote - Guillermo LASSO Mendoza (CREO) 52.5%, Andres ARAUZ (UNES) 47.5%2017: Lenin MORENO Garces elected president in second round; percent of vote - Lenin MORENO Garces (Alianza PAIS Movement) 51.1%, Guillermo LASSO (CREO) 48.9%

elections/appointments

president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 February 2021 with a runoff on 11 April 2021 (next to be held in February 2025)

head of government

President Guillermo LASSO Mendoza (since 24 May 2021); Vice President Alfredo Enrique BORRERO Vega (since 24 May 2021)

Flag description

three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; the flag retains the three main colors of the banner of Gran Colombia, the South American republic that broke up in 1830; the yellow color represents sunshine, grain, and mineral wealth, blue the sky, sea, and rivers, and red the blood of patriots spilled in the struggle for freedom and justice

note

note: similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

24 May 1822 (from Spain)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

CAN, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts

National Court of Justice or Corte Nacional de Justicia (consists of 21 judges, including the chief justice and organized into 5 specialized chambers); Constitutional Court or Corte Constitucional (consists of 9 judges)

judge selection and term of office

justices of National Court of Justice elected by the Judiciary Council, a 9-member independent body of law professionals; judges elected for 9-year, non-renewable terms, with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the executive, legislative, and Citizen Participation branches of government; judges appointed for 9-year non-renewable terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years

subordinate courts

Fiscal Tribunal; Election Dispute Settlement Courts, provincial courts (one for each province); cantonal courts

Legal system

civil law based on the Chilean civil code with modifications; traditional law in indigenous communities

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (137 seats; 116 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 15 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote, and 6 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies for Ecuadorians living abroad by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - UNES 32.21%, MUPP 16.81%, ID 11.98%, PSC 9.73%, CREO 9.65%, MC-PSE 3.76%, other 15.86%; seats by party - UNES 49, MUPP 27, ID 18, PSC 18, CREO 12, MC-PSE 2, independents 3, other 8; composition - men 85, women 52, percent of women 38%; note - defections by members of National Assembly are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the various parties

elections

last held on 7 February 2021 (next to be held in February 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Juan Leon MERA/Antonio NEUMANE

name

"Salve, Oh Patria!" (We Salute You, Our Homeland)

note

note: adopted 1948; Juan Leon MERA wrote the lyrics in 1865; only the chorus and second verse are sung

National holiday

Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)

National symbol(s)

Andean condor; national colors: yellow, blue, red

Political parties and leaders

Alianza PAIS movement [Lenin Voltaire MORENO Garces]Avanza Party or AVANZA [Ramiro GONZALEZ]Central Democratic Movement or CD [Jimmy JAIRALA]Citizen Revolution Movement or MRC [Rafael CORREA]Creating Opportunities Movement or CREO [Guillermo LASSO]Democratic Left or IDForward Ecuador Movement [Alvaro NOBOA]Fuerza Ecuador [Abdala BUCARAM] (successor to Roldosist Party)Honesty Alliance or MC-PSE (alliance including Concertation Movement or MC and Socialist Party of Ecuador or PSE)Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement or MUPP [Marlon Rene SANTI Gualinga]Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Gilmar GUTIERREZ Borbua]Popular Democracy Movement or MPD [Luis VILLACIS]Social Christian Party or PSC [Pascual DEL CIOPPO]Socialist Party [Patricio ZABRANO] Society United for More Action or SUMA [Mauricio RODAS]Union of Hope or UNES (coalition of left-leaning parties)

Suffrage

18-65 years of age; universal and compulsory; 16-18, over 65, and other eligible voters, voluntary

Agricultural products

sugar cane, bananas, milk, oil palm fruit, maize, rice, plantains, poultry, cocoa, potatoes

Budget

expenditures

38.08 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

33.43 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-4.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

B- (2020)

Moody's rating

Caa3 (2020)

Standard & Poors rating

B- (2020)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2018

-$1.328 billion (2018 est.)

Current account balance 2019

-$53 million (2019 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$43.224 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$50.667 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

Ecuador is substantially dependent on its petroleum resources, which accounted for about a third of the country's export earnings in 2017. Remittances from overseas Ecuadorian are also important.In 1999/2000, Ecuador's economy suffered from a banking crisis that lead to some reforms, including adoption of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the economy, and positive growth returned in most of the years that followed. China has become Ecuador's largest foreign lender since 2008 and now accounts for 77.7% of the Ecuador’s bilateral debt. Various economic policies under the CORREA administration, such as an announcement in 2017 that Ecuador would terminate 13 bilateral investment treaties - including one with the US, generated economic uncertainty and discouraged private investment.Faced with a 2013 trade deficit of $1.1 billion, Ecuador imposed tariff surcharges from 5% to 45% on an estimated 32% of imports. Ecuador’s economy fell into recession in 2015 and remained in recession in 2016. Declining oil prices and exports forced the CORREA administration to cut government oulays. Foreign investment in Ecuador is low as a result of the unstable regulatory environment and weak rule of law.n April of 2017, Lenin MORENO was elected President of Ecuador by popular vote. His immediate challenge was to reengage the private sector to improve cash flow in the country. Ecuador’s economy returned to positive, but sluggish, growth. In early 2018, the MORENO administration held a public referendum on seven economic and political issues in a move counter to CORREA-administration policies, reduce corruption, strengthen democracy, and revive employment and the economy. The referendum resulted in repeal of taxes associated with recovery from the earthquake of 2016, reduced restrictions on metal mining in the Yasuni Intangible Zone - a protected area, and several political reforms.

Exchange rates

Exchange rates 2018

25,000 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

25,000 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

25,000 (2020 est.)

note

the US dollar became Ecuador's currency in 2001

Exports

Exports 2018

$25.38 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$26.12 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$22.23 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, crustaceans, bananas, fish, refined petroleum (2019)

Exports - partners

United States 30%, China 13%, Panama 8%, Chile 7% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

20.8% (2017 est.)

government consumption

14.4% (2017 est.)

household consumption

60.7% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-21.3% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

24.3% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

1% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

6.7% (2017 est.)

industry

32.9% (2017 est.)

services

60.4% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$107.436 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

45.4 (2018 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income December 2017

48.5 (December 2017)

note

note: data are for urban households only

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

35.4% (2012 est.)

lowest 10%

1.4%

note

note: data are for urban households only

Imports

Imports 2018

$26.29 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$25.89 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$19.89 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, coal tar oil, cars, packaged medicines, soybean products (2019)

Imports - partners

United States 22%, China 18%, Colombia 9%, Panama 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

-0.6% (2017 est.)

note

note: excludes oil refining

Industries

petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

0.4% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

-0.2% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

0.2% (2019 est.)

Labor force

8.086 million (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

26.1%

industry

18.4%

services

55.5% (2017 est.)

Population below poverty line

25% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

43.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

45.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$197.53 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$197.55 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$182.24 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2017

2.37% (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2018

1.29% (2018 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2019

0.06% (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$11,600 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$11,400 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$10,300 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$4.259 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$2.395 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

32% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2018

5.26% (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate 2019

5.71% (2019 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

15.4% (2020 est.)

male

8.7%

total

11.1%

Crude oil - exports

383,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

517,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

8.273 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

22.68 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

211 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

43% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

54% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

82 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

8.192 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

26.5 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

93% (2019)

electrification - total population

97% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

100% (2019)

Natural gas - consumption

453.1 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

477.8 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

10.9 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

265,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

25,870 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

153,900 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

137,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

13.3 (2020 est.)

total

2,346,923 (2020)

Broadcast media

about 60 media outlets are recognized as national; the Ecuadorian Government controls 12 national outlets and multiple radio stations; there are multiple TV networks and many local channels, as well as more than 300 radio stations; many TV and radio stations are privately owned; broadcast media is required by law to give the government free airtime to broadcast programs produced by the state; the Ecuadorian Government is the biggest advertiser and grants advertising contracts to outlets that provide favorable coverage; an antimonopoly law and communication law limit ownership and investment in the media by non-media businesses (2019)

Internet country code

.ec

Internet users

percent of population

57.27% (2019 est.)

total

10.17 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line services with digital networks provided by multiple telecommunications operators; fixed-line teledensity stands at about 13 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular use has surged and subscribership has reached 91 per 100 persons (2019)

general assessment

Ecuador’s remote and mountainous geography lends challenges to tele-density; government-owned provider to improve fixed-line and LTE infrastructure, with emphasis on fiber expansion from urban to rural areas and installation of a 5G network; small telecom market dominated by the non-competitive mobile sector; inadequate fixed-line infrastructure and slowed fixed-line broadband services (2020)

international

country code - 593; landing points for the PAN-AM, PCCS, America Movil-Telxius West Coast Cable and SAm-1 submarine cables that provide links to South and Central America, and extending onward to the Caribbean and the US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

11.69 (2019 est.)

total subscriptions

2,063,044

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

87.77 (2019 est.)

total subscriptions

15,485,366

Airports

total

432 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

18

2,438 to 3,047 m

5

914 to 1,523 m

26

over 3,047 m

4

total

104

under 914 m

51 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

914 to 1,523 m

37

total

328

under 914 m

291 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HC

Heliports

2 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

container ship 1, general cargo 7, oil tanker 27, other 110 (2021)

total

145

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

64.2 million mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

5,365,261 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

35

number of registered air carriers

7 (2020)

Pipelines

485 km extra heavy crude, 123 km gas, 2131 km oil, 1526 km refined products (2017)

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Guayaquil (1,680,751) (2019)

major seaport(s)

Esmeraldas, Manta, Puerto Bolivar

river port(s)

Guayaquil (Guayas)

Railways

narrow gauge

965 km 1.067-m gauge (2017)

note

note: passenger service limited to certain sections of track, mostly for tourist trains

total

965 km (2017)

Roadways

paved

8,161 km (2015)

total

43,216 km (2015)

unpaved

35,055 km (2015)

Waterways

1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2012)

Maritime threats

the International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial and offshore waters as at risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen; there has been a slight increase with three attacks reported in 2019 and four in 2020

Military - note

border conflicts with Peru dominated the military’s focus until the late 1990s; as of 2021, border security remained a priority, but in more recent years, security challenges have shifted towards counterinsurgency and counter-narcotics operations, particularly in the northern border area where violence and other criminal activity related to terrorism, insurgency, and narco-trafficking in Colombia, as well as refugees from Venezuela, has spilled over the border; troop deployments along the border with Colombia were scaled back following the 2016 signing of a peace agreement between the Colombian Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) terrorist group (see Appendix T), but recent violence associated with FARC dissidents to the agreement have led Ecuador and Colombia to reinforce their shared border; since 2012, the Ecuadorian Government has also expanded the military’s role in general public security and counter-narcotics operations, in part due to police corruption and ineffectiveness the military has had a large role in Ecuador’s political history; it ruled the country from 1963-1966 and 1972-1979, and supported a dictatorship in 1970-1972; during the 1980s, the military remained loyal to the civilian government, but civilian-military relations were at times tenuous, and the military had considerable autonomy from civilian oversight; it was involved in coup attempts in 2000 and 2010  

Military and security forces

Ecuadorian Armed Forces: the Ecuadorian Army (El Ejército Ecuatoriano), Ecuadorian Navy (Fuerza Naval del Ecuador, FNE, includes naval infantry, naval aviation, coast guard), Ecuadorian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE) (2021)note - the National Police of Ecuador (Policía Nacional del Ecuador) is under the Ministry of Government

note

note - the National Police of Ecuador (Policía Nacional del Ecuador) is under the Ministry of Government

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Ecuadorian Armed Forces have approximately 40,000 active personnel (25,000 Army; 9,000 Navy; 6,000 Air Force) (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's equipment inventory is mostly older and derived from a wide variety of sources; since 2010, Ecuador has received limited amounts of military equipment from more than 15 countries with Brazil, South Africa, and Spain as the leading suppliers (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

2.5% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

2.4% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

2.4% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

2.3% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

2.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for selective conscript military service; conscription has been suspended; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; Ecuadorian birth requirement; 1-year service obligation; females have been allowed to serve in all branches since 2012 (2021)

Disputes - international

organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate across Ecuador's shared border

Illicit drugs

Ecuador is a major transit country for illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin and chemical precursors to process cocaine from Colombia and Peru; not a major drug producing country

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

482,897 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay), 65,854 (Colombia) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

41.15 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

23.51 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

14.91 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands

Environment - international agreements

party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

29.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 4.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 5.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 19.4% (2018 est.)

forest

38.9% (2018 est.)

other

31.4% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.27% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

442.4 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

8.076 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

549 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

1.293 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.62% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

64.4% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

5,297,211 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

683,340 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

12.9% (2015 est.)